


I is for Intertwined

by ioanite



Category: Hornblower (TV)
Genre: Gen, Reunions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-17
Updated: 2014-02-17
Packaged: 2018-01-12 20:03:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1197705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ioanite/pseuds/ioanite
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hornblower mourns what could have been, but fate's prepared to offer a second chance.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I is for Intertwined

**Author's Note:**

> The final fic I wrote for Lokei's Hornblower Alphabet Soup Challenge. It includes a rather...unusual cameo.

He still remembered the goodbye. Of all the things he’d suffered in his life—the loss of the _Marie Galante_ , Simpson’s torture, being trapped in El Ferrol’s pit, losing loved ones—this was by far the most painful. He felt as if he’d lost everything. But all he could do was stand there, numb with shock, as his last hope of survival left the room.

From later reports, he learned that he’d descended into madness for about a month afterwards; heavy drinking, destroying his possessions, heaping insults on everyone. Ultimately, it took Bush slapping him to bring him around, something Horatio would always be grateful for.

Despite regaining his sanity, Horatio felt as if he was trapped in a dark place, able to watch life going on around him but never able to join those outside. He wanted to let go, to allow himself to move on, but he couldn’t. He’d been promised so much…to have it cut away from him was a betrayal that was unforgivable.

And then, a small ray of light appeared in the darkness, a whisper he initially refused to believe; he’d been fooled before, which had made his return to darkness that much more painful. But the whispers grew, the light grew brighter. Despite himself, Horatio allowed himself to hope.

 It was Bush, once again, who opened the curtains and let the sun shine in. “It’s confirmed, Horatio.”

 “You’re sure?”

“Ask him yourself. He’s waiting for you.”

Horatio was about to run downstairs when he caught sight of himself in the mirror. “Tell him I’ll greet him shortly. I want to look my best.”

His “best” consisted solely of his dress coat and hastily polished buckles, but he knew the effort would be appreciated. Once he’d finished, he took a deep breath and headed downstairs.

Horatio’s heart almost stopped when he saw him. For a moment, both men looked at each other. At last, Horatio broke the silence.

“It’s true, then?”

A voice Horatio had forgotten gave the answer in a liquid purr. “It’s true. I’m doing my best to get the old crowd back. Most of them are downright eager for this, to tell you the truth.”

“How long?”

A lithe shrug. “A few more months.”

“Do you…” Horatio swallowed. “Can we finish it? Get what was promised?”

“I’m not sure. But I swear this to you, Horatio; when we say goodbye for the last time, it will not be a rude separation. We’ll look back on it with fondness, instead of regret.”

Horatio buckled at the knees, tears springing to his eyes. “Oh, God…”

He found himself caught in a deep hug. “I missed you. You know that, right? No matter what else happened, I always thought fondly of you.”

“I knew,” Horatio took a deep, shuddering breath and looked into the eyes of his savior. “But I never expected this. I owe you a debt I can never repay.”

“Nonsense,” Ioan answered with a smile, “I’m fulfilling an obligation I made a long time ago.”


End file.
